1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method which performs setting or the like of spatial setting positions of plural apparatus connected to others through a network or the like.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, it has become many environments that a LAN (local area network) is constructed in wider range. That is, in the indoor environment, the network has been constructed on not only one floor but also several floors.
In such the network, plural information input/output apparatuses such as a personal computer and the like to be utilized by users are connected, and further a server machine for providing various services to these information input/output apparatuses and managing the network is connected. In addition, another plural information input/output apparatuses such as a printer apparatus, a facsimile apparatus and the like are studded.
In such the environment, when the user outputs information from the personal computer, the user captures or obtains name and state of the apparatus at an output destination from the server machine as information concerning the apparatus at such the output destination, and then outputs the information by referring to the captured information.
However, in the above-described conventional information input/output apparatus, when the user selects the apparatus at the output destination so as to output the information thereto, there is a case where the user selects the apparatus which is remarkably distant from a user's position to output the information. Further, although the user can know the information concerning the apparatus name when he selects the apparatus, such the information can not be used to set and obtain position information of apparatus which represents a physical position of the apparatus on the floor. Therefore, it has been occurred a problem that, when selecting the apparatus desired by the user, the output apparatus which is physically distant from the user is unnecessarily selected. In addition, since there are the plural apparatuses in the network, it is difficult for the user to grasp or understand the physical positions of these apparatuses. Therefore, it has been occurred a problem that, even if the information was outputted, the user is at a loss where he should go to the output destination (i.e., output apparatus) to obtain the information.
Further, when the user draws a layout or the like of the respective apparatuses onto a paper or the like to confirm the setting position of the apparatus at the output destination by checking the drawn layout against the name of such the apparatus, working to do so takes much time. Furthermore, if the layout of the apparatuses is changed, it has been occurred a problem that re-drawing of the layout takes much time.